The bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) is a contraction of the rectum that occurs when the tip of the penis or clitoris is squeezed or stimulated. The BCR is a polysynaptic reflex, and it is known that measurements of this reflex can provide indications of various neurological abnormalities in and around the pelvic floor and lower spinal region of a patient. For example, the integrity of the pudendal nerve and afferent and efferent nerve segments through the sacral vertebrae S2-S4 may be determined by measurements of the BCR. Additionally, several types of BCR abnormalities have been reported in cases of impotence secondary to lesions of the cauda equina or conus medullaris, or when neurogenic bladder dysfunction related to polyneuropathy is detected. Such abnormalities can manifest as no BCR response, a prolonged latency in BCR response, or a temporal latency dispersion occurring in repetitive measurements. Moreover, a BCR response, if prolonged, can be an indication of pelvic nerve damage in patients with pelvic floor disorders.
It is known that measurements of the BCR can be used to diagnose various pelvic floor disorders, including those disorders mentioned above. Such measurements may be collected from, e.g., urethral and/or anal sphincters after stimulation of the dorsal nerve of the penis or clitoris via activation of electrodes attached to a patient. Such measurements have additionally been obtained by electromyogram (EMG) testing.
Additionally, more recent research indicates that electrophysiological evaluation of sacral reflexes can identify neurologic causes of disturbance that do not originate in the pelvic floor or lower spinal cord, such as cerebral vascular accident, dementia, hydrocephalus, multiple sclerosis, lesions of the brain and/or upper spinal cord, and Parkinson's disease. Abnormalities in motor evoked potentials can also provide direct electrophysiological evidence for both short- and long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries, including concussions. Measurement of the BCR is particularly useful for diagnosis and management of trauma to the brain and spinal cord because, as a polysynaptic reflex, the BCR is one of the first reflexes to reappear after spinal shock.
Prior art procedures and apparatuses for obtaining BCR measurements have, however, been less than satisfactory in, e.g., their ease of use and the discomfort they cause patients. Accordingly, it is advantageous to have a non-invasive method and system for accurately detecting characteristics of BCR response, such as latency in response, lack of response, and abnormal reflex contractions, where such characteristics of the BCR are correlated with likely physiological and/or neurological dysfunctions.